Shiite Muslim pilgrims flock to Karbala in Iraq for Arba'een

From 9 November worshipers have been congregating in the holy city of Karbala to commemorate Arba'een, the end of the forty-day mourning period for Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of Mohammed. This religious observance gives rise to one of the largest religious gatherings in the world.

Millions of Shiite Muslims are commemorating Arba’een in the holy city of Karbala in the south of Iraq. This is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. / Mohammed Sawaf/AFP

Millions of Shiite pilgrims, on foot or by bus, are making their way to the holy city of Karbala in Iraq. Men, women and children, they are coming from all over Iraq as well as from other countries, especially Iran.

The imam Hussein, grandson of Mohammed and son of the imam Ali, is the focus of the great pilgrimage of Arba'een ("forty" in Arabic). It celebrates the end of forty days of mourning for the death of Hussein, who was killed in 680 by the army of the Umayyad Caliphate during the Battle of Karbala.

For Twelver Shiites, Hussein is the third of twelve divinely ordained leaders, the last of whom will reappear as the promised Mahdi.

The end of this period of mourning is important for Shiites as it marks the return to Karbala of the followers of Imam Hussein, who had been detained in Damas, the Caliphate's capital. When they returned to Karbala, they buried the head of Hussein, which had been presented as a trophy to the Caliph Yazid I. A mausoleum was later built at the site.

In keeping with tradition, the faithful, dressed in black and carrying flags glorifying Shiite imams, walk for days with their wives and children to reach Karbala, situated about 80 km south-east of Baghdad.

Once at Karbala, as a sign of mourning, the men beat their chest. Some self-flagellate and cover their faces with ashes, just as they do on Ashura (the 10th day of the month of Muharram), the day of Imam Hussein's death. Wives and children, meanwhile, picnic in open spaces.

Like the pilgrimage of Ashura, the pilgrimage of Arba'een has become particularly popular since the fall of Saddam Hussein, who had forbidden both of these commemorations. In 2016, 17 to 20 million people took part in the pilgrimage. Of these, 3 million were from other countries: most of them were from Iraq, according to Iraqi authorities.

This year, more than 10 million Iraqis are expected to take part, as well as 30,000 Afghans and 500,000 pilgrims from Arab states, such as Lebanon and the Gulf states, said the Governor of Karbala, Aqil Tourihi.

According to Chahriar Heydari, spokesman for the Iranian committee organizing the pilgrimage, almost "2.32 million visas have been issued"

A target for terrorists and radical Sunni movements, notably ISIS, Arba'een is under heavy security, as it is every year. About 35,000 soldiers and police have been deployed, according to the Karbala province police.

Added to these, are 4000 fighters of the Hashd al-Shaabi, a paramilitary coalition formed in 2014 at the command of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the highest Shiite authority in the country.

Last year, pilgrims – mainly Iranians – were attacked on their return from Karbala by ISIS, which is currently being driven out of Iraq. Seventy people were killed when a truck was blown up at a service station.

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